道場巡禮
Tour of the Center
Tour of the Center
The sacred statue of Dragon-Fish Guanyin Bodhisattva, which had been lost for twenty-five years, was originally brought to Taiwan in 1986 by Venerable Hongyuan. After traveling to mainland China and overcoming numerous twists and turns, the Venerable Master reverently brought the statue back to Taiwan so that it might be enshrined and venerated by the faithful.
In 1992, due to karmic obstacles, Venerable Hongyuan withdrew from public activities to undertake a period of secluded cultivation. Before doing so, the Venerable Master entrusted the safekeeping of the statue to his maternal half-brother, Mr. Yang (name withheld). However, his brother, overcome by greed, took advantage of the circumstances, forged documents, and disposed of the Buddhist hermitage’s communal and private properties for personal gain.
In time, karmic consequences manifested, and he and his family encountered the suffering of imprisonment, poverty, and illness. This serves as a solemn reminder of the law of cause and effect: wholesome and unwholesome deeds inevitably bear their corresponding fruits.
Five years after emerging from seclusion, Venerable Hongyuan encountered the long-lost statue by the roadside in Taipei, abandoned among discarded materials. With the assistance of lay Buddhist practitioner Mr. Xu Zhicheng, the Venerable Master respectfully retrieved the sacred statue and arranged for its restoration.
Thereafter, a restoration project was undertaken, including the application of gold leaf to restore the statue’s dignified and resplendent appearance. Through the convergence of auspicious conditions and the sincere devotion of the faithful, the restored statue of Dragon-Fish Guanyin Bodhisattva was ceremoniously re-enshrined at the Ruifang Buddhist practice center in the winter of 2022, once again becoming an object of reverence and worship.
May the great compassion and wisdom of Guanyin Bodhisattva continue to illuminate all sentient beings, guide them away from suffering and toward liberation, and inspire all who encounter this sacred image to cultivate wholesome deeds, uphold faith, and deepen their connection with the Dharma.